A SIFI odyssey: Silencing the stress response amid mitochondrial import blockade to safeguard cell survival
In a recent study in Nature, Haakonsen et al. identify the SIFI complex as a stress response silencer via its E3 ligase activity to target unimported mitochondrial proteins and stress response components for degradation via the proteasome. (Source: Molecular Cell)
Source: Molecular Cell - March 21, 2024 Category: Cytology Authors: Yuleika G. Martinez Castillo, Chantell S. Evans Tags: Spotlight Source Type: research
How transcription factor binding controls transcriptional bursting dynamics: A single-molecule view
In this issue, Pomp et al.1 simultaneously tracked transcriptional bursts of yeast gene GAL10 and transient binding of transcription factor Gal4 at the gene using novel methods. Dynamic exchange and infrequent long binding of Gal4 together enable prolonged transcriptional bursts of GAL10. (Source: Molecular Cell)
Source: Molecular Cell - March 21, 2024 Category: Cytology Authors: Shasha Chong, Shawn Yoshida Tags: Preview Source Type: research
Integrating the response to stressed mitochondria
Chakrabarty et al. demonstrate that phospho-EIF2α (pEIF2α), the translation initiation factor that mediates the integrated stress response (ISR), is necessary and sufficient for the autophagic degradation of mitochondria following the addition of mitochondrial stressors. (Source: Molecular Cell)
Source: Molecular Cell - March 21, 2024 Category: Cytology Authors: Elliot Dine, Richard J. Youle Tags: Preview Source Type: research
Meet the authors: Jayoung Ku, Keonyong Lee, and Yoosik Kim
We spoke with authors co-first authors Jayoung Ku, Keonyong Lee, and lead author Yoosik Kim about their paper “Alternative polyadenylation determines the functional landscape of inverted Alu repeats” (this issue of Molecular Cell), finding renewed energy from attending scientific meetings, and the open questions they are most interested in investigating next. (Source: Molecular Cell)
Source: Molecular Cell - March 21, 2024 Category: Cytology Authors: Jayoung Ku, Keonyong Lee, Yoosik Kim Tags: Q & A Source Type: research
Feeding two birds with one scone: The dual roles of SMARCAL1 in antitumor immunity
In a recent issue of Cell, Leuzzi et al.1 report the identification of the DNA translocase SMARCAL1 as a novel factor that dampens immune responses against tumor cells through two distinct mechanisms. (Source: Molecular Cell)
Source: Molecular Cell - March 7, 2024 Category: Cytology Authors: El éonore Toufektchan, John Maciejowski Tags: Spotlight Source Type: research
Deaminase deluge yields new opportunities for biotechnology and genome engineering
In this issue of Molecular Cell, Vaisvila et al.1 report a tour de force functional characterization of a large and highly diverse set of polynucleotide cytosine deaminase (PCD) enzymes, which is already propelling new biotechnology applications. (Source: Molecular Cell)
Source: Molecular Cell - March 7, 2024 Category: Cytology Authors: Reuben S. Harris, Michael A. Carpenter Tags: Preview Source Type: research
Plot twists and cutting corners with atypical SMCs
In this issue of Molecular Cell, two papers provide insight into atypical structural maintenance of chromosomes protein complexes (SMCs). Jeppsson et al.1 link Smc5/6 to supercoiled DNA, and Roisné-Hamelin et al.2 show how Wadjet SMC bends and cleaves invading DNAs. (Source: Molecular Cell)
Source: Molecular Cell - March 7, 2024 Category: Cytology Authors: Judith H.I. Haarhuis, Benjamin D. Rowland Tags: Preview Source Type: research
Meet the authors: Shouqiao Hou and Daichao Xu
Molecular Cell speaks with first author Shouqiao Hou and corresponding author Daichao Xu about the scientific journey toward their paper, “PARP5A and RNF146 phase separation restrains RIPK1-dependent necroptosis” (in this issue of Molecular Cell), the challenges they faced, and interesting remaining questions for the field. (Source: Molecular Cell)
Source: Molecular Cell - March 7, 2024 Category: Cytology Authors: Shouqiao Hou, Daichao Xu Tags: Q & A Source Type: research
Sister chromatid cohesion halts DNA loop expansion
The cohesin ring has long been known for its role in mediating sister chromatids cohesion (SCC) in eukaryotes during G2/M. Basti é et al. demonstrate that these cohesins involved in SCC represent roadblocks to the extrusion of the chromatin loops that organize chromosomes at that stage in eukaryotes. (Source: Molecular Cell)
Source: Molecular Cell - March 6, 2024 Category: Cytology Authors: Nathalie Basti é, Christophe Chapard, Axel Cournac, Sanae Nejmi, Henri Mboumba, Olivier Gadal, Agnès Thierry, Frederic Beckouët, Romain Koszul Tags: Short article Source Type: research
Alternative splicing decouples local from global PRC2 activity
The mechanisms driving PRC2 subtype assembly and dimerization in vivo are not yet understood. Arecco, Mocavini, et al. report an alternative splicing variant of SUZ12 (SUZ12-S) that promotes PRC2.1 dimerization, resulting in increased H3K27me3 deposition at target genes. SUZ12-S is necessary and sufficient for Polycomb gene repression in embryonic stem cells. (Source: Molecular Cell)
Source: Molecular Cell - March 6, 2024 Category: Cytology Authors: Niccol ò Arecco, Ivano Mocavini, Enrique Blanco, Cecilia Ballaré, Elina Libman, Sophie Bonnal, Manuel Irimia, Luciano Di Croce Tags: Article Source Type: research
Structural atlas of human primary microRNAs generated by SHAPE-MaP
Despite a crucial role in miRNA maturation, structural features of pri-miRNAs remain largely unclear. Using SHAPE-MaP, Baek et al. determined highly reliable secondary structures of 476 human pri-miRNAs. Combined with processing data, the resource annotates the determinants of pri-miRNA processing with high accuracy and enables the designing of more potent shRNAs. (Source: Molecular Cell)
Source: Molecular Cell - March 5, 2024 Category: Cytology Authors: S. Chan Baek, Boseon Kim, Harim Jang, Kijun Kim, Il-Soo Park, Dal-Hee Min, V. Narry Kim Tags: Resource Source Type: research
Triaging of α-helical proteins to the mitochondrial outer membrane by distinct chaperone machinery based on substrate topology
Muthukumar et al. use genome-wide and systematic arrayed CRISPRi screens to identify ⍺-helical OMM protein biogenesis and quality control factors that triage substrates by topology. They establish NAC as a targeting factor for polytopic proteins and identify TTC1 as a cytosolic chaperone for signal-anchored p roteins, using a C-terminal hydrophobic groove. (Source: Molecular Cell)
Source: Molecular Cell - February 29, 2024 Category: Cytology Authors: Gayathri Muthukumar, Taylor A. Stevens, Alison J. Inglis, Theodore K. Esantsi, Reuben A. Saunders, Fabian Schulte, Rebecca M. Voorhees, Alina Guna, Jonathan S. Weissman Tags: Article Source Type: research
Structure of the multi-subunit chloroplast RNA polymerase
do Prado et al. report the cryo-EM structure of the plastid-encoded RNA polymerase complex from white mustard. The structure reveals the architecture of the major chloroplast transcription apparatus and provides insights into its unique associated factors. (Source: Molecular Cell)
Source: Molecular Cell - February 29, 2024 Category: Cytology Authors: Paula F.V. do Prado, Frederik M. Ahrens, Monique Liebers, Noah Ditz, Hans-Peter Braun, Thomas Pfannschmidt, Hauke S. Hillen Tags: Article Source Type: research
Discovery of cytosine deaminases enables base-resolution methylome mapping using a single enzyme
Vaisvila et al. report the discovery and in vitro characterization of 175 deaminases with a diversity of substrate preferences. A modification-sensitive double-stranded DNA deaminase enables a streamlined base-resolution single-enzyme methylome mapping method, SEM-seq. (Source: Molecular Cell)
Source: Molecular Cell - February 22, 2024 Category: Cytology Authors: Romualdas Vaisvila, Sean R. Johnson, Bo Yan, Nan Dai, Billal M. Bourkia, Minyong Chen, Ivan R. Corr êa, Erbay Yigit, Zhiyi Sun Tags: Article Source Type: research
Single-molecule tracking reveals the functional allocation, in vivo interactions, and spatial organization of universal transcription factor NusG
El Sayyed et al. used single-molecule imaging in live E. coli cells to identify rrn anti-termination (with NusG in transcriptional condensates) and transcription-translation coupling as the main processes occupying NusG in vivo. The work also revealed previously unknown NusG interactions with the free 30S ri bosomal subunit and the chromosome. (Source: Molecular Cell)
Source: Molecular Cell - February 21, 2024 Category: Cytology Authors: Hafez El Sayyed, Oliver J. Pambos, Mathew Stracy, Max E. Gottesman, Achillefs N. Kapanidis Tags: Article Source Type: research
